04 Denali AWD to 2WD

[doozmista]

I know its a strange thing to want to take the awd out of the truck but I just don't need or want it anymore. I know all I physically need to do is swap a 2wd 4l60 trans and driveshaft into it and thats the mechanical side done. What I don't know is what is the computer going to do without the transfer case and front diff not plugged in. I work at a shop that uses HP tuners to dyno tune and stuff. I just need some info from someone that has done this sort of thing before. Any help would be fantastic.

 

[fasteddy]

Most folks just pull the front axles off and leave it at that.
To delete axles, front diff and transfer case and swap to a 2wd trans is a lot of work.
Less work would be to sell the AWD and get a 2wd.

 

[Denalibro76]

Most folks just pull the front axles off and leave it at that.
To delete axles, front diff and transfer case and swap to a 2wd trans is a lot of work.
Less work would be to sell the AWD and get a 2wd.

So just remove the CV shafts and that’s it? No issues or anything?

 

[mikeyss]

If you just remove the CV axles, your front hubs will come apart.......I have personally seen it. There is no good way of converting to 2WD without spending a good amount of money. You'd need 2WD hubs, you'd have to convert the 4L65 to 2WD because JUST removing the front driveshaft will grenade the T-Case and you won't be able to move forward or backwards.

I repeat ... Do NOT remove your front CV axles, the hubs will FAIL

 

[swathdiver]

I know its a strange thing to want to take the awd out of the truck but I just don't need or want it anymore. I know all I physically need to do is swap a 2wd 4l60 trans and driveshaft into it and thats the mechanical side done. What I don't know is what is the computer going to do without the transfer case and front diff not plugged in. I work at a shop that uses HP tuners to dyno tune and stuff. I just need some info from someone that has done this sort of thing before. Any help would be fantastic.

@01ssreda4

Look up this fellas posts when he did his conversion.

 

[Denalibro76]

If you just remove the CV axles, your front hubs will come apart.......I have personally seen it. There is no good way of converting to 2WD without spending a good amount of money. You'd need 2WD hubs, you'd have to convert the 4L65 to 2WD because JUST removing the front driveshaft will grenade the T-Case and you won't be able to move forward or backwards.

I repeat ... Do NOT remove your front CV axles, the hubs will FAIL

Ok thanks so much for the info! I have a 4in drop on the front of my Yukon Denali and my drivers side CV joint is failing. Not sure if it’s just coincidental or if the drop is hindering the movement of the joint? I really don’t need it to be AWD so looking at my options

 

[rockola1971]

It is true, You MUST have CV Halfshafts installed in hub or the hub will fail and come apart. The halfshaft end is splined and threaded. It is torqued to around 150ft lbs which squeezes the hub (inner and outer) to a preload. Without that preload it will fail in very short time and it will be catastrophic.

AWD to 2WD? WHY?

 

[Denalibro76]

It is true, You MUST have CV Halfshafts installed in hub or the hub will fail and come apart. The halfshaft end is splined and threaded. It is torqued to around 150ft lbs which squeezes the hub (inner and outer) to a preload. Without that preload it will fail in very short time and it will be catastrophic.

AWD to 2WD? WHY?

Ok thanks! As I said if my axles are going to be a problem due to my drop then I’d rather just make it 2WD

 

[swathdiver]

Ok thanks! As I said if my axles are going to be a problem due to my drop then I’d rather just make it 2WD

I saw a guy on youtube take a half shaft apart and just put the end in the hub to keep it together until the guy had enough money to come back and rebuild his front differential.

Saw another guy today convert his Escalade from AWD to a 4x4 using a manual transfer case, pretty cool.

 

[Denalibro76]

I saw a guy on youtube take a half shaft apart and just put the end in the hub to keep it together until the guy had enough money to come back and rebuild his front differential.

Saw another guy today convert his Escalade from AWD to a 4x4 using a manual transfer case, pretty cool.

That’s what I was thinking haha why can’t you just leave the joint end in and remove the rest?